The Republic of Vietnam
Cross of Gallantry with Palm
Unit Citation
Eighth Battalion,
The Royal Australian Regiment

Units awarded this citation receive a unit citation streamer,
coloured the same as the Gallantry Cross with Palm, for display
on the unit colours. Members of the unit during the period
of the award are conferred with the right to wear the ribbon of
the Gallantry Cross with Palm, mounted in a gold
frame. In addition, the Commanding Officer of the
unit is granted an individual award of the decoration, Gallantry
Cross with Palm.

The citation, as follows, was conferred by General Cao Van
Vien, Chief of the Joint General Staff, Armed Forces of the
Republic of Vietnam on 24 October 1970, and officially presented
to the 8th Battalion by Lieutenant General Do Cao Tri, Commander
of II Corps and Military Region 3 on 29th October 1970.

Citation for the Eighth Battalion,
The Royal Australian Regiment

The Eighth Battalion, 1st Australian Task Force.An
excellent combat unit, always displaying high morale while
co-operating and assisting the Vietnamese people in their
struggle against Communism and to defend peace and freedom.
While operating in Military Region III, Republic of Vietnam from
28 November 1969 to the present, the 8th Battalion, 1st
Australian Task Force participated in almost every military
operation to search out and destroy the enemy in Phuoc Tuy
province. Though fighting under the most difficult
conditions, the members of the 8th Battalion, 1st Australian Task
Force still fought bravely and determinedly and had many glorious
victories.Their most remarkable military operations
took place in the area of the Long Hai hills. This area is
known as 'Minh Dam Secret Zone', a base area of the main force
Communist units in Phuoc Tuy province. This zone was
strongly protected by mines and ditches and had caused many
losses to the Allied Forces. But with modern tactics and a
determined spirit, the forces of the 8th Battalion, 1st
Australian Task Force conducted continuous operations against the
area and destroyed the enemy's secret zone, causing great
casualties to the communists and forcing them from the area, thus
bringing peace to the Vietnamese people living there.Besides
their own military operations, the 8th Battalion, 1st Australian
Task Force co-ordinated closely with the Vietnamese Regional
Forces and Popular Forces in Long Le sub-sector, organised
patrols and ambushes around villages and hamlets, caused heavy
casualties to the communists and thereby greatly assisted the
Pacification and Development Programme of the Government of the
Republic of Vietnam.Together with their military
effort, the members of the 8th Battalion, 1st Australian Task
Force participated in the civic action programme to assist the
local population to reconstruct their houses, roads, bridges,
markets and schools etc., and achieved excellent results.Through
their glorious activities outlined above, the 8th Battalion, 1st
Australian Task Force contributed significantly to the
anti-communist struggles of the Armed Forces of the Republic of
Vietnam, thereby bringing great credit to the Royal Australian
Armed Forces.